Shakan Bay Light — a lighthouse in Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, Alaska — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 145 km (90 mi) SE of Sitka.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Shakan Bay Light the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 43° (NE) at the June solstice and 134° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 318° (NW) in June to 226° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 57° in summer but only 10° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 34° | 12h 11m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 4:07 AM | 43° NE | 9:47 PM | 318° NW | 57° | 17h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:41 AM | 88° E | 6:55 PM | 272° W | 34° | 12h 15m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:26 AM | 134° SE | 3:21 PM | 226° SW | 10° | 6h 55m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Lighthouses work at both ends of the day: blue hour when the beacon is lit, and golden hour when white towers take on warm tones.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:32 AM | 8:17 AM | 9:28 AM | 2:41 PM | 3:52 PM | 4:37 PM | 7h 35m |
| February | 6:42 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:16 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 37m |
| March | 6:33 AM | 7:11 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:08 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 48m |
| April | 5:08 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:11 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 13m |
| May | 3:51 AM | 4:41 AM | 5:39 AM | 8:05 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:52 PM | 16h 21m |
| June | 3:04 AM | 4:07 AM | 5:12 AM | 8:40 PM | 9:44 PM | 10:47 PM | 17h 37m |
| July | 3:33 AM | 4:29 AM | 5:30 AM | 8:32 PM | 9:33 PM | 10:29 PM | 17h 04m |
| August | 4:42 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:17 PM | 15h 08m |
| September | 5:49 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:16 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:52 PM | 12h 47m |
| October | 6:49 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:19 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:33 PM | 10h 28m |
| November | 6:50 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:37 AM | 2:43 PM | 3:47 PM | 4:30 PM | 8h 15m |
| December | 7:34 AM | 8:22 AM | 9:42 AM | 2:00 PM | 3:19 PM | 4:07 PM | 6h 58m |
Local time (America/Juneau), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
The Milky Way's bright core (in Sagittarius) barely clears the southern horizon at this latitude, so focus on winter Milky Way, aurora or star trails instead.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| April | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| May | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| June | No darkness | — | — | — |
| July | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| August | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -9° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -21° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.95 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 1.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show February as the clearest month (about 74% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (82%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 49 | 48 | 61 | 69 | 72 | 83 | 79 | 80 | 72 | 64 | 53 | 49 |
| Low °F | 4 | 7 | 5 | 27 | 29 | 39 | 46 | 46 | 39 | 24 | 4 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 10.7 | 7.3 | 6.8 | 6.0 | 5.3 | 5.1 | 6.3 | 8.3 | 11.4 | 11.7 | 11.0 | 10.5 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this lighthouse
- Moonrise or the Milky Way over the tower makes a classic night composition; plan with the azimuth tables.
- During blue hour, use 5–15 second exposures to capture the beam; check whether the light is still active.
- Shoot from the beach or a jetty to place the tower against open sky and sea.
- Stormy weather and crashing surf add drama; keep a safe distance from waves on rocks and piers.
- A telephoto from across a bay compresses the tower against cliffs or the moon.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Summer brings open towers and tours; autumn and winter offer storms, fewer crowds and lower sun angles.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Telephoto lens, ND filter for smooth water, Rain cover. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Tides
The nearest NOAA tide prediction station is Shakan Bay Entrance, 1.4 km (0.9 mi) away. Low tide often reveals tide pools, wet-sand reflections and sea stacks.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Shakan Bay Light, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Shipley Bay Cabin9.9 km (6.2 mi) · reservable
- El Capitan Campground18.9 km (11.8 mi) · reservable
- El Capitan Cabin19.0 km (11.8 mi) · reservable
- Red Bay Lake Cabin22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Salmon Bay Lake Cabin30 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Shakan Bay Light?
What time is golden hour at Shakan Bay Light?
Where does the sun rise and set at Shakan Bay Light?
Can you see the Milky Way from Shakan Bay Light?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Shakan Bay Light?
How far is Shakan Bay Light from Sitka?
Sources
Location data: USGS GNIS / GeoNames. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.